Retrofpect of Domeftic Literature—Phyhic. 
firft'23 clafles, and the fecond being de- 
voted entirely to cryptogamous plants. 
The fourth and fifth fafciculi are pub- 
lifhed of Dr. RoxBurGH’s “ Plants of 
the Coaft of Coromandel.” Ir is fufh- 
cient to fay that the engravings and co- 
lors are executed with the fame elegance 
and accuracy which diftinguifhed the 
former parts of this magnificent work. 
We are happy to announce a third edi- 
tion of Dr. Ler rsom’s “ Naturalifts’ and 
Travellers’ Companion.” This ufeful and 
{cientific volume is now confiderably im- 
proved and enlarged. The fame gentle- 
-man has publifhed a new edition of his 
“** Natural Hiftory of the Tea-Tree, with 
Obfervations on the Medicinal Quality of 
Tea, and on the Effeéts of Tea-drinking.” 
An anonymous tranflator has publifhed 
the Abbé Spallanzani’s ** Traéts on the 
Nature of Animals and Vegetables.” 
This work, which has but juft made its 
appearance in the Englifh language, was 
written many years ago, aad fo long fince 
as the vear 1777 was tranflated into 
French by M. Senebier, a Swifs philofo- 
pher. The prefent is {ufpeéted not to be 
a tranflation from the original of Spallan- 
zani, but from the French of Senebier, of 
whofe learned notes the editor has not 
availed himfelf. There are alfo nume- 
rous omiffions in the prefent volume, 
which confiderably detract from its value. 
PuHysics. 
Dr. BABINGTON has publifhed cca 
New Syftem of Mineralogy, in the Form 
of Catalogue, after the Manner of Baron 
Born’s Syftematic Catalogue of the Col- 
Jeétion of Foffils of Madlle. Eleonore de 
Raab.” This work is indeed a cata- 
logue: it is much to be regretted, that 
the fcientifc author has not expatiated 
more on the chemical properties, &c. of 
the claffes and orders, the genera and fpe- 
cies of the mineral bodies: fometimes 
even Dr. B. has given us merely the names 
of the varieties in the Englith, French, 
and German languages. ‘We have no 
right, however, to expect from any one 
the performance of more than he pe 
. Dr, Babington, in making public the ya 
tem which he adopted in forming from 
the late Earl of Bute s extenfive and va- 
luable colle€tion of minerals a more com- 
pendious and feleét cabinet, hoped that he 
might confiderably abridge the labor of 
thole who fhould hereafter engage ina 
fimilar tafk. This he will certainly ef- 
feét: his work is compiled with great 
judgment, and will unquettionably be of 
ufe to thofe who with to acquire a com- 
-prehenfive knowledge-of minerals, but 
Monrurty Maa, LXf, 
‘thrown confiderable light. 
629 
who have neither leifure nor inclination, 
even if they| have opportunity, to confult 
the numerous works through which the 
neceflary information lies{cattered.” The 
prefent work 1s to be confidered as a con- 
tinvation-of the ‘ Sy {tematic sArrange- 
mevt of Minerals which Dr. Babington 
publitbed in the year 1795. 
That moft acute and indefatigable phi- 
lofopher Mr. Kirwan, has publithed a 
volume of ** Geological Effays,”’ in which 
he has difplayed that knowledge of che- 
miftry, mineralogy, and natural philofo- 
phy in general, with which his capacious 
mind is fo abundantly furnifhed. It will 
not be expeéted that we fhould give the 
outlines of this theory of the original for-~ 
mation of the earth, and of its cae ae 
various viciflitudes ; we can only fay, in 
general terms, that the author feems par~ 
ticularly to have in view the reconciliation 
of the faéts which geology teaches with 
thofe which are taught in the Mofaic hif- 
tory, and the fubverfion of the Huttonian 
dw trine and that of the Volcanifts. 
The public is alfo indebted to Mr, K1r- 
WAN for a moft valuable ‘* Effay on the 
Analy fis of Mineral Waters.” To afcer- 
tain the ingredients, and proportions of 
thofe ingredients, which enter into the 
compofition of mineral waters, has often 
baffled the fkill of the acuteft chemitts 
and mineraloeifts. The art of analyfing 
is yet but very imperfeétly known. ‘ Mr. 
K. however, on this, as on «very other 
fubjeét which employs his attention, has 
After having 
made fome general remarks on the en- 
largernent which has taken place within 
the jiaft twenty years of the boundaries of 
chemical fcience, and of the improvements 
in particular which have been made in re- 
fpect to the analyfation of mineral waters, 
he thus unfolds the obje€t of his publica- 
tion: “¢ To ftate, add to, and generalize 
thefe improvements, by propofing new 
tefts, and new limitations of the powers 
of hole already known, in cafes where 
none were before determined, or where 
fe were inaccurately affigned ; alfo by 
ubtticuting more direct cogs of in- 
Pee to the random methods before 
employed, and various new modes of efti- 
mating the quantity of each of the fub- 
ae adifcovered, js the. purpote of the 
following fheets.” 
Melirs. A.and C.R. Alxins’ « Syllae 
bus” of acourfe of le€tures which they 
delivered, with honor to themfelves and 
ieeueion to their auditors, on Chemif- 
try, evinces extenfive knowledge on the 
fubject. ; 
4M The 

